Clamp for connecting railroad-rails to railroad-ties.



PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1904.-

rm MODEL.

RM F W m A K H m w F. M W H H. S

lhvrrnn Srarns Patented November 29, 1904.

PATRICK DYER, OF LINVVOOD, OHIO.

CLAMP FOR CONNECTING RAILROAD-RAILS TO RAILROAD-TIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7'? 6,307, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed February 19, 1904. Serial No. 194,418- (No model.)

lage of Linwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamp-Braces for Connecting Railroad-Rails to Railroad-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the Various advantages resulting from their use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of th1s applicatlon, and in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is aview in perspective,showing a clamp embodying my invention, a portion of a rail, and part of a tie and illustrating the application of the clamp to the rail and to the tie. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the plane of the section being that of the longitudinal center of the vertical brace of the clamp. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective similar to Fig. 1, but showing a form of the brace modified for use under certain conditions.

Iwill now proceed to describe my invention in detail.

A indicates in general the clamp. The main features ofthis clamp are, first, a'foundation; secondly, a front portion that bears against the rail above the flange of the latter; thirdly, a support for a screw whose shank shall extend down and whose screw thread shall engage the tie after the usual manner of screws, while the head of the screw rests on a suitable portion of the clamp; fourthly, one or more openings for the spike or spikes, 'as the case may be, whose function is to assist in holding the base or foundation of the clamp in place on the tie.

B indicates the foundation of the clamp. This consists of a flat piece or plate, preferably of some width, so as to give the clamp a broad and firm basal hearing. The front part B of this basal piece B rests on the adjacent base-flange F of the rail R. That it may so rest and yet allow the remainder of the basal piece of the clamp to rest flat upon the tie,

and thus be everywhere in contact, the rear portion B is extended down. Thus there is present a wall or shoulder B on the under side of the basal piece between the front part B and the rear portion B The clamp above the foundation B extends forward, and a part O is adapted to meet the web W of the rail. This part (J is preferably extended up, and being concavely curved at its upper front portion this concave part O is adapted to receive the lower edge of the part B of the rail. Thus when the clamp is duly applied the forward part O is securely and quite closely held in place at and to the rail. At the rear of the part O and preferably at or near the center of the clamp is a provision for the reception of a screw. This provision is preferably of some height, as shownto wit, the upright portion D. The latter contains a vertical passage D of sulficient width to admit a screw-bolt of the requisite diameter.

111 the foundation B, in the part B thereof, are one or more openingsEto admit of spikes. In the present illustrative instance there are two spike-holes E, and these are located one near each rear corner, as shown.

The manner in which my invention is applied and the functions it performs will now be specified.

The rail being located on cross-ties, one of which, T, is shown in the drawings, the clamp is located upon the tie and the rail-flange F and against the web W, substantially as shown in figures. A spike or spikes S, usually as many as there are spike-holes E in the clamp, are respectively driven into their respective holes, and thus the rail-clamp will be held to place. A metal screw H. is now inserted in the passage D and screwed into the tie until the head of the screw comes in contact with the top of the part D of the clamp. This screw H may be a lag-screw, as shown, or

one of any other desired conformation. In-

putting this screw to place where the tie is of wood, as is usually the case, the screw may be driven all the way down; but a more preferable method is to drive the screw for a short portion of its length into the wood and then, having thus started it after the manner of a small gimlet-pointed wood-screw, to rotate the screw (which will also usually be gimlet-pointed) and screw it down to place. The clamp Will now be securely held in position. WVere it not for this screw the spikes would soon be worked up a quarter of an inch or more, their heads no longer close to the basal part B of the clamp. The rail would then have opportunity to spring up and down independently of the tie, and such a vertical oscillation of it will tend to break down the tie Where the rail impinges on it. Such oscillation of the tie also imparts a vertical thrust of the car-gearing, which is disadvantageous for many obvious reasons. Thus the life of the tie would be shortened and the vertical thrust of the car-gearing be present.

By my invention the tie and the rail are held together as one and the disadvantages mentioned are obviated.

In Fig. 3 I have shown where the conformation of the front portion of the clamp is somewhat changed for enabling the clamp to be the better used in holding to place certain switch-rails. This screw is provided with a head suitably formed to enable an instrument to be applied to rotate it. Of course a bolt could be used; but it would be difficult to manipulate the nut in connection with the bolt.

I prefer to form, as shown, a slight depression at K in the clamp and have each end of this depression or gutter incline toward that side of the clamp to which it is adjacent. I also prefer that the upper edge or edges of the part D around the hole D shall incline downward and outward.

The gutter K, with its inclined ends and the inclined edge D of the part D are both intended to shed water away from the opening D My clamps are ordinarily to be applied on one side only of a given rail at a given point. These clamps are to be used on the outer side of the rail.

The clamp or brace illustrated in Fig. 1 is preferably employed in connection with a straight rail and a straight track. The spike is located in the tie and on that side of the rail opposite where the brace is located.

My clamp should be used on all curves and preferably there on every tie.

My clamp should be employed on all guardrails.

On curved tracks the clamps are used on the outer side of each rail. The two-spike clamp is preferably used on the outer side of the rails in the outer or longer curve and the one-spike clamp on the outer side of the rails in the inner or shorter curve.

On straight tracks with switches the clamp, Fig. 3, is preferably used on the outside of each of the two rails. The inner side of the rail is to be fastened down in any of the ordinary ways.

My clamp gives better service than those clamps that depend upon mere spikes to hold them to the tie and to the rail and to hold the tie and the rail together.

My clamp is also a valuable improvement in that it economizes ties. For example, in a thirty-foot rail some sixteen to seventeen ties are required. By the use of my invention less ties are required. Thus in a thirty-foot rail some six or seven less ties can be successfully used with good results.

It is to be understood that my invention utilizes the rear portion of the vertical brace as a passage-way for the screw-bolt. It enables the screw-bolt to be located centrally with reference to the clamp. It also affords a conveniently-elevated place at which to operate the screw-bolt. The addition of this passage-way in this brace requires little or no additional metal.

One of the principal objects of this construction is to enable the screw to hold the tie firmly to the rail, while the upper part of the screw braces the brace to the rail.

hat I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a clamp, having the basal piece, and a front vertical portion O thereon, and a raised portion D, at rear of the vertical portion, provided with a passage D the base being perforated for other connections, between the clamp and the tie, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a clamp, a foundation-plate, and a front vertical portion O O fitting the rail R, as described, and a raised portion D behind this vertical front portion, and provided with a passage D the base perforated for other connections, between the clamp and the tie, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In aclamp, having the basal piece adapted to rest upon the tie, and on the flange of the rail. a front vertical portion G a vertical portion D connected to the portion O and provided with a vertical passage D the base outside of this passage being perforated for the reception of a spike or spikes, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

i. In a clamp, the basal piece, the front vertical portion O O and the raised portion D at rear of the vertical portion, and connected thereto and provided with a passage D the base being perforated for other connections to unite the clamp and the tie, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a clamp, having the base, a front vertical portion for touching the rail, the vertical part D connected thereto and having a passage D the junction of the front part and the part D provided With a gutter K, and the upper part of part D around passage D being beveled away and down from the passage, the base being duly perforated for a spike or spikes, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a clamp, having the base, a part of which is adapted to overlap the flange of the rail, While the other portion rests flat upon the tie, the narrow vertical brace adapted to meet the rail substantially as described, and extended back for a distance so as to be of strength sufficient to perform its functions, and in this brace an enlargment provided with I0 a vertical passage D substantially as and. for the purposes specified.

PATRICK DYER.

Attest:

STARBUOK SMITH, K. SMITH. 

